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BREAKING NEWS: "HICKOK" TO SHOW AT GPT
Great Plains Theatre announced Wednesday afternoon that they will show the recently released "Hickok" movie starting Friday, July 21.
Moreover, $1 for every ticket sold will be donated to Abilene's Trails, Rails & Tales 150th Anniversary of the Chisholm Trail celebration.
Showtimes:
- Friday, July 21 - 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, July 22 - 2:00 & 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, July 23 - 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, July 24 - 7:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 25 - 7:00 p.m.
This is one of your
only chances to see Hickok on the big screen.
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It's a Great Day in Abilene!
Despite the heat, we've been busy hosting a number of
wonderful visitors to Abilene. From the North American Ag Marketing Officials conference, to Group Tour operators from Arkansas, members of the Midwest Travel Bloggers and graduate researchers at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, we continue to share our five-star community with new friends.
Sometimes it is easy to take our community for granted, but it's very rewarding to hear visitors share positive comments about Abilene.
We have, and continue to develop, community ambassadors and cheerleaders around the world. However, let's please make sure we are also our own best ambassadors. Have a question about a place? Visit it. Talk to the owners or staff. It's easy to make assumptions, but I challenge you to walk in the door and experience our businesses and attractions for yourself. I guarantee you will be impressed!
Earlier this week, the Engle House Bed & Breakfast hosted a reception for the Midwest Travel Bloggers and a handful of representatives from the community and tourism industry. I wish I could have captured the passion and excitement that was shared during our introductions. It was a "goose bump" moment. Our visitors saw first-hand the "faces of travel" in Abilene. By collecting visitor and lodging data, we are able to quantify tourism in Abilene, however it's the qualitative data - shared in these stories - that truly showcases our greatness.
According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, tourism spending in 2015 contributed $20 million to the Abilene and Dickinson County economy. This contribution would not be possible without the dedication of the staff and volunteers in our tourism and tourism-related businesses.
As we continue to enhance Abilene's tourism industry, we are thinking "outside of the box" and focusing on personal relationships and organic marketing. By inviting people to our community, they can see first-hand our quality businesses and attractions. These people not only share their experiences with their friends, family and following, but they also bring new people (and groups) with them when they return.
Abilene has a vibrant history as the "Midwest Tourist Capitol", but I'm even more excited about our future. The changes we will see over the next two years will springboard our community and tourism industry to a new level. I'm truly excited about our future and I hope you are, too.
Stay positive and keep cool!
Julie Roller
Abilene CVB Director
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Josh Roe, Assistant Secretary, Kansas Department of Agriculture, presents to a crowd of sixty from the North American Ag Marketing Officials group at the Eisenhower Presidential Library Courtyard.
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Midwest Travel Bloggers
Lisa Trudell (
The Walking Tourists) and Sara Broers (
Travel with Sara) visited Abilene this week to explore everything we have to offer. The bloggers visited Brookville Hotel, Three One One, Eisenhower Presidential Library Museum & Boyhood Home, Old Abilene Town, Greyhound Hall of Fame, Dickinson County Heritage Center and Museum of Independent Telephony, Great Plains Theatre, Seelye Mansion, Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden, the World's Largest Spur, the Engle House Bed & Breakfast, Abilene's Victorian Inn and other off-the-beaten path locations. Follow the them on social media and on their blogs for current and future posts about their trip!
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2017 Central Kansas Free Fair Schedule
Visit Abilene, Kansas the first week of August to attend the Central Kansas Free Fair and Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo.
Named one of the "Top 5 Medium Sized Rodeos" by PRCA, the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo was featured in MidwestLiving's event guide.
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The City of Abilene's Abilene-Omitama Sister City Board invites you to join in receiving and welcoming the
16th Delegation from our Sister City, Omitama Japan.
Friday, July 28, 2017
6:30 p m
Abilene Community Center
Fried chicken & potluck sides
Drinks and tableware provided.
History
The Sister City relationship developed from Japanese interns coming to the Harold Scanlan dairy farm. In 1984 an agreement to form a Sister City relationship between Abilene and Minori, Japan was signed. Since that time adult and student delegations have made annual visits to the each other's towns.
The Sister City Committee identified student exchanges/youth friendships, daily life experience and cultural experience as the main emphasis of the program.
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"Wild Steer" CASI Chili Cook-Off
Chili Cook-Off Returns to Abilene
Make plans to enter the "Wild Steer" CASI Chili Cook-Off in Abilene on August 5, 2017 at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
The Cook-Off is the Kansas State Championship and automatically qualifies the winner to participate in the Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-Off.
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Throwback Thursday
Cleyson Brown, founder of Brown Telephone, the precursor to Sprint
Abilene has a vibrant history of successful entrepreneurs.
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Trip Advisor
Have you visited an Abilene business or attraction? Make sure to share your experience by leaving reviews.
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Join in the fun! Register for the 2017 Cowtown Classic benefiting Kids in Crisis.
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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Train Schedule
The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad diesel engine runs Wednesday-Saturday at 10:00 and 2:00 and Sunday at 2:00 with a stop in Enterprise at the Hoffman Grist Mill.
- Contact Phone: (785) 263-1077
- Address: 200 SE Fifth Street
- Admission: $15 (adults), $7.50 (children ages 3-11) and free (children 2 and younger)
- Note: Make sure to visit the newly opened Fred Schmidt Railroad Museum inside of former freight room in the depot!
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Dickinson County Heritage Center
2017 Memories of the Prairie Schedule
July 15 - Marla Matkin - Mrs. Custer. This is also the ice cream social, which starts at 6:00 p.m. There will also be a baked goods sale.
"I have seen Marla Matkin's Mrs. Custer portrayal before. This is without question one of the finest first person portrayals you will EVER see anywhere. Ms. Matkin is outstanding. She IS Mrs. Custer. If people miss this, they will have missed something very, very special. - Steve Schmidt, McPherson
All programs are free of charge and are held at the Dickinson County Heritage Center.
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Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home
Spying: What Difference Did It Makes?
Former
CIA
official Robert (Bob) Wallace will speak on "Spying: What Difference Did It Make?" during the next Lunch and Learn program at the Eisenhower Presidential Library. This free public program begins at
noon
on
Monday, July 17
, in the Visitors Center Auditorium and will include a light lunch
as part of the Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation Speaker Series
.
Wallace will cite both spying successes and failures, drawing from historical examples during the 20 year period between the founding of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1942 to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. He will conclude by discussing their relevance to current issues.
Author and intelligence historian, Wallace had a 33-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency. Following retirement from the
CIA
, he co-authored the best selling Spycraft: The Secret History of the
CIA's Spytechs from Communism to Al-Qaeda
(2008) and founded Artemus Consulting Group, an international network of intelligence and security professionals.
Wallace holds a B.A. in History from Ottawa (Kansas) University and an M.A. in
Political Science from the University of Kansas. He speaks and writes on intelligence, leadership and management topics. His other books include The Official
CIA Manual of Deception and Trickery
(2009), Spy Sites of New York City
(2012), Spy Sites of Philadelphia
(2013) and Spy Sites of Washington DC
:
A Guide to the Capital Region's
Secret History
(2017).
Following the program, Wallace will be available to sign copies of his books,
available for purchase in the Presidential Gift Shop.
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Great Plains Theatre
GPT Cinema
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Greyhound Hall of Fame
Cool off with the Greyhounds!
Take a break from the heat and visit resident greyhounds Gary and Ginger at the Greyhound Hall of Fame!
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Old Abilene Town
Gunfight Performances
Visit Old Abilene Town on Saturdays at noon, 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to enjoy their famous gunfight performances.
In addition, the Alamo Saloon is open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m.
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DATE
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EVENT
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LOCATION
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TIME/ADMISSION
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7/15/2017
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Memories of the Prairie lecture series
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Heritage Center
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7:00 p.m.
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7/15/2017
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Ice Cream Social & Baked Good Sale
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Heritage Center
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7/17/2017
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Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation Speaker Series with Bob Wallace; light lunch provided
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Eisenhower Visitors Center
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Noon
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July 17-21
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Primary Teaching Summer Institute: "U-2 Spy Plane Crisis and its Impact on US-USSR Relations"
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Eisenhower Library
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7/22/2017
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National Day of the Cowboy
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Heritage Center
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July 22 & 23
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ASVRR Steam Engine Rides
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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
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10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
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7/23/2017
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Cowtown Classic Bike Ride
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Downtown Abilene
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7/22/2017
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ASVRR Silver Flyer Railbus
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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
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10:00 a.m.
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7/29/2017
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Eisenhower Foundation Bridge Benefit
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Eisenhower Library & Museum
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1-5 p.m.
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Aug 2-7
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Central Kansas Free Fair
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Dickinson County Fairgrounds
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Aug 2-6
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Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo
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Dickinson County Fairgrounds
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8/3/2017
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Central Kansas Free Fair Parade
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Downtown Abilene
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4:00 p.m., begins at 7th & Buckeye, ends NW 3rd & Washington
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8/4/2017
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Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation Speaker Series - John Robert Greene - I Like Ike - The Presidential Election of 1952, light lunch provided
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Eisenhower Visitors Center
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Noon, free
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Aug 4-5
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National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo
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Shockey-Landes Building
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Aug. 5-6
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Citywide Sidewalk Sale
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8/5/2017
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Vintage Base Ball Game
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Eisenhower Campus Grounds
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1:00 p.m.
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8/5/2017
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"Wild Steer" CASI Chili Cook-Off
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Eisenhower Campus Grounds
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12-1:30 p.m. (cooking starts at 8 a.m.)
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Aug 4-5
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National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo
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Shockey-Landes Building
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Stay in Abilene
Abilene Lodging Establishments
Abilene
is home to more than 200 rooms. Whether you're in town to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, enjoy a show at the Great Plains Theatre, attend the Central Kansas Free Fair, meet with greyhound industry leaders or take a ride on the
Abilene
& Smoky Valley Railroad, we invite you to extend your visit, spend the night and enjoy all
Abilene
has to offer.
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Help us, help you
Share your News!
Have an upcoming event? Help us, help you. We do our best to stay up-to-date, but please make sure to include us in your event and special promotions. Please send announcements to:
director@abilenecityhall.com
.
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